Brick-die.



C. C. KESTY.

BRICK DIE.

APPLlCATION FILED was 11. m4.

Patented May 11, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET X.

@ylllllfm C. C. KESTY.

BRICK DIE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I7, 914.

Patent-ed May 11, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Witnesses If 1H5 NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTOJJrHOu WASHINGTON @FFIQE.

CHARLES C. KESTY, OF WATSONTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRICK-DIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Application filed June 17, 1914. Serial No. 845,689.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES C. KnsTY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Watsontown, in the county of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brick-Dies; and I do hereby declare the following to'be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to plastic block apparatus of that class known as die-expressing, and more especially to dies which ornament certain faces of the blocks produced.

The object of the invention is to provide means for bisecting the column of clay which is expressed or ejected from the mold on lines which are Wavy or sinuous, the projections and depressions being more or less pronounced as desired. These blocks are used mostly for paving purposes, in which case they are laid on edge with the wavy face of one against the plane face of the next, and the projections space the blocks slightly so as to permit the entrance of grouting.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide means for forming longitudinal grooves or channels in the plane faces of the blocks, so that when the grouting sets it will hold contiguous blocks in true alinement.

I have spoken of blocks, but hereinafter will refer to the product as bricks. While I have spoken of their use in paving, I do not wish to be confined in that respect because the bricks may be equally well employed in building a wall or other structure, especially as both edges and both ends are plane.

The invention is carried out by the use of a frame standing in a plane across the mouth of the die and carrying a single substantially upright wire which bisects the column of clay as it is ejected, and means for reciprocating such frame in its own plane, either bodily in which case the frame will be rigid, or angularly in which case the parts of the frame will be pivotally connected at its corners.

The invention consists further in certain details of construction whereby the general idea is carried out, as set forth in the following specification and claims. I would not have this frame and wire confused with somewhat similar frames carrying one or more wires and which are used for cross cutting the clay column so as to chop it into brick lengths, as well understood in this art.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is an elevation of the outlet end of a die provided with one form of this improvement, and Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, while Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the outlet end and die and of another form of this improvement, and this view is used to illustrate two means which might be adopted with any form of my invention for producing grooves or channels in the. plane faces of the bricks. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of the hook and spring for holding one end of the wire. Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective details of other forms of wire which might be employed. Fig. 9 is a detail of the brick produced.

I have shown my invention in the drawings as applied to any suitable form of die D whose outlet end or mouth M is tapered slightly as shown, and I have not considered it necessary for the purposes of this invention to illustrate the means for mixing and expressing or ejecting the clay column, the platen onto which it is delivered, or the crosscutting mechanism for chopping it into brick lengths. In these machines as commonly manufactured said column is about the size of two bricks standing on edge and face to face, and it is the purpose of my improvement to divide the column into two smaller columns or brick-cores and to make the line of divison wavy or sinuous so that one face of the finished bricks will be irregular and the other face plane. By preference the irregular face has smooth paths along its side edges, which are filled with the grouting when the bricks are employed for paving or which afford clings for plastering or surfacing when the bricks are employed in wall building; and while the means for producing these smooth paths are shown in the type of myinvention illustrated in Fig. 1, it is to be understood that they might be employed with that type illustrated in Fig. 4. I may say that the first three views disclose a construction by which the irregular face is rendered sinuous, while Figs. 4: and 5 disclose a construction wherein this face is wavy. The distinction lies in the fact that the protuberances or Waves alternating with the depressions or troughs in Figs. 4 and 5 are uniform at both ends or near both edges of the brick, whereas in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 each protuberance near one edge of the brick is directly opposite a depression near the other edge. I may say at this point that the wire 1 used in both types of my invention may be a round steel wire of the proper gage, or it may be slightly oval as shown at 1 in Fig. 7, or even quite flat and thin as shown at 1 in Fig. 8 so that in effect it becomes a band orknife, and I reserve the right to modify this detail irrespective of what it is termed throughout the specification and the claims. One end of the wire is held by a hook 2 of any suitable construction, whereas the other end is preferably attached to a spring 3 as best seen in Fig. 6, the spring being in turn connected with a hook 4 which is rendered adjustable as by passing it through a side bar frame and through a thumb nut 5.

Referring now more particularly to the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the numeral 10 designates broadly a frame composed of horizontal bars 11 and upright end bars 12 all of which are pivotally connected at 13 at the four corners of the frame, while the end bars are pivotally supported at their mid-length at 14 on suitable supports such as blocks 15 carried by the die-mouth M. The latter is somewhat smaller than the entire frame, as best seen in Fig. 1, and the wire 1 is carried by the horizontal bars 11 in such position that it stands across the center of the mouth M and will therefore bisect the column of clay being ejected. If desired lugs 16 may be formedwithin the mouth M at the center of its top and bottom and in direct alinement with the wire 1, and these lugs produce smooth portions or paths 22 along the upper and lower edges of the bricks 25 as seen in Fig. 9.

While any suitable mechanism may be employed for moving the frame 10, I prefer to mount a shaft 20 in bearings 16 and connect it with some moving part of the brickmaking machinery such as the agitator, and on said shaft I mount a crank wheel 23 having a wrist-pin which is connected by a pitman rod 29 with one bar of the frame at the point 28. The wrist-pin is rendered adjustable in the wheel 23 in any suitable manner, as by mounting it within a block 27 which itself is movably mounted in the wheel. This block is adjusted under ordinary circumstances so that the point 28 will move through a path about two inches in length, and the bends of the hooks 2 and 4 are adjusted ordinarily so that they stand about in a line with th'ecorner pivots 13.

When now the machine is at work, the shaft and the crank wheel 23 are driven at a speed proportioned to that with which the brick column is ejected from the mouth M, and the pitman rod causes the point 28 lated.

to reciprocate horizontally so that the entire frame 10 is moved on its siX pivots 13 and 14 and with it the wire 1 is reciprocated in the plane of the frame, which plane'is parallel with the outlet end of the mouth and at eX- act right angles to the direction in which the column is being ejected. But it will be seen that when the upper hook 4 moves to the right the lower hook 2 moves to the left, and I may here say that the lugs 16 are by preference made of such width that the wire will not move beyond them when it swin s to either extreme. The result is that whi e these lugs are cutting continuous grooves in the top and bottom of the column, and forming continuous smooth paths along the side edges of the two brick-cores being ejected, the wire is acting as a knife and is cutting the colunm into cores on a sinuous line whereof the protuberance near one edge of each brick is directly opposite the depression near the other. edge of the same brick. The parts are by preference timed so that about three protuberances will occur in each length of brick. The use of the spring 3 and of the thumb nut 5 is obviously for the purpose of adjusting the knife 1 to the proper tension. It will be quite clear that I am not confined strictly to a wire for use as such knife. By adjusting the block 27 the throw of the crank wheel and therefore the size of the protuberances and depressions in the irregular faces of the brick-cores may be regulVhile the rotation of the crank wheel 23 is timed with the action of the brick-forming mechanism, it may be increased or diminished in any of the wellknown ways.

Referring now to that type of the machine which is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the frame 30 has top and bottom bars 31 and end bars 32 rigidly connected at the corners of the frame as by brackets 33, and the end bars are provided with laterally elongated slots 36 which constitute guides moving over headed pins 34 that may well be mounted in blocks 35 carried by, the sides of the mouth M. One end bar may be pivotally connected as at 28 to the pitman rod 29 of the driving mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and not necessary to repeat, or the entire frame may be reciprocated in its own plane by any suitable means and atany suitable speed although here agam I would prefer that it be synchronized with the movement of the brick-making mechanism. I have employed these views to illustrate means for providing grooves or channels 44 along the plane faces of the brick 25, although it will be understood that these devices might well be employed with the other type of machine. At the right of the mouth M shown in Fig. 4, a set screw 40 having a rounded tip is passed inward through one side, and it is obviously capable of adjustment to cause the tip to embed in the clay to a greater or lesser extent. At the left of this figure a block 41 of proper shape is held against the inside of the wall of the mouth by means of a set screw 42, and by removing the latter the block may be taken off and replaced with another of different shape and size, these blocks being also obviously for the purpose of forming a groove such as 44. In fact, the lugs 16 may be rendered removable and interchangeable by the same or any equivalent means. In this type of my machine the driving mechanism is preferably adjusted so as to give the frame 30 a reciprocation of about :1: of an inch, and it moves to and fro in its own plane across the outlet end of the mouth M. Therefore the knife or wire 1 bisects the clay column on a wavy line whereof the protuberances or waves 44 extend clear across the roughened face of the brick (unless the lugs 16 are used) and the depressions or troughs also extend clear across the face in alternated relation to the protuberances. In other words, as the wire 1 moves bodily with the frame because the hooks 2 and 4 move in unison, rather than in opposition as in Fig. 1, the column is bisected on a line which may be said to be wavy rather than sinuous, and the size of its waves can be adjusted as in the other type of my invention. Here again any suitable means may be employed for reciprocating the frame, and the wire may be round or oval or fiat as before. The clay column bisected into cores passes onto a platen whereon it is cross-cut into brick lengths as usual and as well understood.

IVhat is claimed is:

1. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through whose mouth a clay column is ejected; of a wire extending across the center of said mouth for bisecting said column longitudinally, and means for moving the wire to and fro in a plane across the outlet end of the mouth and in timed relation to the ejection of said column.

2. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through whose mouth a clay column is ejected; of a wire extending across the center of said mouth for bisecting said column, and means for reciprocating an end of the wire in a plane at right angles to the length of the column. 7

3. In a brick machine, the combinatio with the die through whose mouth a clay column is ejected; of a wire extending across the center of said mouth for bisecting said column, and means for reciprocating both ends of the wire in a plane at right angles to the length of the column.

4. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through whose mouth a clay column is ejected; of a wire extending across said mouthfor bisecting said column, means for reciprocating both ends of the wire in a plane at right angles to the length of the column, and means for adjusting the extent of reciprocation.

5. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through whose mouth a clay column is ejected; of a frame, a wire carried within the frame and extending across the center of said mouth for bisecting said column, and means for reciprocating a side bar of the frame so as to move the wire in a plane at right angles to the length of the column.

6. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through whose mouth a clay column is ejected; of a frame, a wire stretched across the frame and extending across said mouth for dividing said column, and means for reciprocating the frame and the wire in a plane at right angles to the length of the column. d

7. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through whose mouth a clay column is ejected; of a frame, a wire stretched across the frame and across said mouth for dividing said column, a crank connected with said frame for reciprocating it and'the wire in a plane at'right angles to the length of the column, and means for adjusting the length of the crank and the extent of reciprocation.

8. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through whose mouth a clay column is ejected; of a wire extending across said mouth for dividing said column, and means for reciprocating the ends of said wire simultaneously and oppositely in a plane at right angles to the length of the column.

9. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through whose mouth a clay column is ejected; of a wire extending across said mouth for dividing said column, means for reciprocating the ends of said wire simultaneously and oppositely in a plane at right angles to the length of the column, and

' means for adjusting the extent of reciprocation.

10. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through whose mouth a clay column is ejected; of a frame whose bars are pivotally connected, pivotal supports for its end bars, a wire connecting the side bars thereof and extending across the center of said mouth for bisecting saidcolumn, and means'for reciprocating the side bars of the frame and the opposite ends of said wire simultaneously and oppositely in a plane at right angles to the length of the column.

11. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through whose mouth a clay column is ejected; of a frame whose bars are pivotally connected, pivotal supports for its end bars, a wire connecting the side bars thereof and extending across said mouth for dividing said column, a crank connected With one side bar for reciprocating both side bars and the opposite ends of said Wire simultaneously and oppositely, and means for adjusting the length of the crank.

12. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through whose mouth a clay column is ejected; of a frame whose bars are pivotally connected, pivotal supports for its end bars, a wire connecting the side bars thereof and extending across said mouth for dividing said column, a wheel rotated in timed relation to the brick-forming mechanism, an adjustable crank pin on said Wheel, and a pitman connecting the pin with one side bar of the frame.

13. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through Whose mouth a clay column is ejected, and lugs removably carried by the walls of said mouth at the top and bottom of the latter; of a frame surrounding and standing in the plane of the outlet end of the mouth and having its bars pivotally connected, pivotal supports for its end bars on the sides of the mouth, means for reciprocating one of its horizontal bars, and a wire stretched across said frame in alinement with said lugs.

14. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through Whose mouth a clay column is ejected, lugs within the mouth at the top and bottom thereof, and adjustable lugs within the mouth at the sides thereof; of a frame surrounding and standing in the plane of the outlet end of the mouth and having its bars pivotally connected, pivotal supports for its end bars on the sides of the mouth, means for reciprocating one of its horizontal bars, and a wire stretched across said frame in alinement with the top and bottom lugs.

15. In a brick machine, the combination with'the die through Whose mouth a clay column is ejected, lugs within the mouth at the topand bottom thereof, and adjustable lugs within the mouth at the sides thereof; of a frame surrounding and standing in the plane of the outlet end of the mouth, supports for its end bars on the sides of the mouth, means for reciprocating said frame, and a Wire stretched across said frame in alinement with the top and bottom lugs.

16. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through Whose mouth a clay column is ejected, and means for dividing said column longitudinally on an irregular line as it issues from the mouth; of lugs within the end walls of said mouth for producing grooves in the plane faces of the clay cores.

17. In a brick machine, the combination with the die through Whose mouth a clay column is ejected, and means for dividing said column longitudinally on an irregular line as it issues from the mouth; of lugs Within the end Walls of said mouth for producing grooves in the plane faces of the clay cores, and means for rendering said lugs adjustable to vary the character of the grooves. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES C. KESTY. Witnesses:

B. FRANK FIsHER, WALTER D. PARSONS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). U. 

